288  Drugs  and  Druggist  in  Tuberculosis.   ] Am'j^r'i909arm' 
SUMMARY. 
In  summarizing  my  remarks,  I  may  say  that  I  endeavored  to 
show  that  drugs,  in  the  hands  of  the  physician,  play  an  important 
and  necessary  part  in  the  treatment  of  the  conditions  accompany- 
ing tuberculosis,  but  that  self-medication  is  to  be  at  all  times  dis- 
couraged. It  was  also  shown  that  the  use  and  sale  of  patent  medi- 
cines, intended  as  consumption  cures,  are  wholly  to  be  condemned, 
and  in  my  opinion  should  be  as  much  prohibited  by  law  as  the 
traffic  in  cocaine. 
The  claim  was  made  that  as  a  scientific  and  professional  man 
the  pharmacist  has  a  very  important  part  to  play  in  the  crusade 
against  tuberculosis,  and  that  the  services  which  he  can  render  in 
this  capacity  are  not  only  recognized  but  desired  by  all  those  having 
a  genuine  interest  in  this  movement.  Three  ways  were  suggested 
in  which  the  pharmacist  can  co-operate  with  physicians  and  the 
health  authorities:  (a)  by  properly  directing  persons  having  or 
suspected  of  having  tuberculosis  and  who  come  to  him  for  medicine 
or  advice;  (b)  engaging  in  the  disinfection  of  rooms,  dwellings, 
and  articles  used  by  consumptives;  and  (c)  by  the  examination  of 
samples  of  sputum,  blood,  etc. 
It  was  pointed  out  that  pharmacists  are  more  or  less  prone  to 
tuberculosis,  and  that  they  should  take  measures  to  protect  their 
own  health. 
I  desire  in  addition  to  suggest  that  the  pharmacist  should  use 
his  influence  and  the  special  knowledge  which  he  possesses  in 
furthering  the  general  educational  campaign  against  promiscuous 
spitting  in  public  places,  and  in  various  other  ways  and  as  a  citizen 
and  professional  man  in  urging  the  establishment  of  parks  and 
open-air  spaces,  and  other  improvements  tending  to  the  promotion 
of  the  general  health  of  the  community. 
Finally,  I  trust  that  in  giving  this  address  on  this  occasion  I 
have  said  something  that  will  tend  to  the  elevation  of  our  calling 
and  help  us  to  continue  to  move  forward  in  co-operating  with 
physicians  and  boards  of  health  in  their  work  for  the  benefit  of 
mankind ;  and  that  will  enable  those  who  are  not  members  of  our 
calling,  who  may  be  here,  to  see  in  our  work  a  human  interest  and 
a  helping  hand  in  "  not  only  ameliorating  the  condition  or  prolong- 
ing the  life  of  the  suffering  individual,  but  also  of  exterminating  or 
closely  limiting  the  preventable  diseases." 
